Brian Cashman Was Right Not to Sign Yu Darvish to the New York Yankees

Brian Cashman made the right move followed by another right move. As Wallace Mathews of ESPN writes, not signing Yu Darvish was Cashman's only choice and trading a potential star catcher for a potential top pitcher should never be criticized.

Don't come back at me by pointing out that there are only 13 catchers in the Hall of Fame. A No. 1 pitcher is more valuable than a top-flight backstop, as Darvish proved last night when he worked 8.1 innings, struck out 10 New York Yankees, allowed seven hits and walked two batters.

Mathews points out that the Yankees liked Darvish but Cashman and his cohorts realized that Japanese pitchers often have problems adjusting to the major leagues. Many players have problems facing New York pressures, which add to the difficulties faced when making adjustments to living in a different country.

The Yankees' friends from Boston spent about $113 million on Daisuke Matsuzaka. He has undergone Tommy John surgery, has never reached the heights the Red Sox hoped he would attain and he will never return the investment the Red Sox made in him.

The American League defending champion Texas Rangers reportedly bid $51.7 million for the opportunity to sign Darvish, which they did for $60 million over six years. For the Yankees to exceed such a deal is ridiculous.

Nolan Ryan made a statement about Darvish that can be interpreted in many ways. Ryan said Darvish, who is 25 years old, has shown more control that he did at that age.

Ryan, the second-best pitcher the New York Mets ever traded (don't tell me Ryan was better that Tom Seaver), walked 2,795 batters, a record that will never be broken. Saying that Darvish has better control than Ryan is like claiming that Ed Whitson was more effective with the Yankees than Ed Whitson.

Darvish has pitched 26 innings in his three starts, allowed 26 hits and significantly has walked 15 batters for a 1.577 WHIP.

Michael Pineda is in trouble, but he is young enough to recover from whatever is causing his arm miseries. The Yankees concluded that Pineda's poor second half of 2011 was caused by fatigue, which is now questionable.

Team physicians examined Pineda. He had an MRI yesterday, but the Yankees didn't announce the results because Fern Cuza, Pineda's agent, wants a second opinion, which will be given after an examination by Mets' physician David Altchek.

It is too early in the game to draw any conclusions. What seems to be a mistake in April may turn out to be a wise move with the passage of time.